Lesson 4: Design Your Dream Relationship
The 7 Angles:
The Secret of Distance
So, what does the comparison between two planets mean, anyway? To determine this, we measure the distance between them. There are 7 major angles (or "aspects" in cosmospeak) that can be formed between the 2 planets in question—and these are so important that they even have their own names in astrology, such as "trine" or "square."
These angles/aspects represent different energies, some easy and others challenging. Often, there’s a mix of both in compared charts—and within your own. Discovering where things are easy can help you play to those strengths and add more of that energy to the relationship. Finding the rough spots shows you where you may need to compromise a bit more in order to keep your connection harmonious.
To follow are the 7 angles that we’ll study in this lesson:
Angle | Energy | Description | Symbol | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Conjunct Same Sign 0º Angle | Acceptance Blending | When two planets are in the same sign, they double their impact. Wonder-twin powers, or too much of a good thing? Having conjunct planets can bring a natural click in partnerships. In the area of life that the conjunct planet(s) govern, you'll just "get" each other. But this can also lead to complacency or stagnation if you rest on your laurels. |  | |
Semisextile 1 Sign Apart 30º Angle | Friction Differences | Two planets that are a sign apart have nothing in common. However, like next-door neighbors with totally different styles of decorating, they can learn from each other—as long as they don’t invade each other’s turf. The area of life governed by semisextile planets in a synastry chart can definitely be friction-filled. You will have to do a bit of negotiating in order to comfortably coexist and cooperate. But there is a lot to learn too, as this reveals ways two people can be ambassadors and teachers for each other. |  | |
Sextile 2 Signs Apart 60º Angle | Friendship Ease Coexistence |
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Square 3 Signs Apart 90º Angle | Tension Dynamism Challenge Struggle |
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Trine 4 Signs Apart 120º Angle | Harmony Ease Flow |
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Quincunx 5 Signs Apart 150º Angle | Adjustment Karma Differences | Just like the semisextile (1 sign apart), two quincunx planets have nothing in common. There’s a need to bring together two vastly different energies that can have little in common. Each will need to adjust or adapt to the other’s unfamiliar, even alien, style of doing things. Relationships with quincunx planets may feel like karmic assignments. You may scratch your heads, wondering how the heck you got together, yet the chemistry between you will be undeniable. The challenge lies in finding common ground so that you don't drift like two ships passing in the night. |  | |
Opposition 6 Signs Apart 180º Angle | Compromise Balance Partnership | Opposites attract—and repel! Two planets in opposite signs can make a great team. However, they will need to balance their strengths to avoid polarizing each other. Having opposite planets in a synastry chart can indicate a beautiful dance or a total disaster, depending on how willing you are to meet each other halfway...and sometimes trek all the way into one another's (very different) world. |  |